Photo by Dave Liske"Michigan Corndogs", with all ingredients from within the state.

The food columnists and bloggers here on MLive.com are hitting this Sunday's Super Bowl hot-and-heavy. For example, Ron Kreuger, Food Editor at the Flint Journal, started it off with "Kick up an indoor tailgate for Super Bowl", with ideas and recipes for a game-day buffet. Susan Barnes, Food Editor of the Ann Arbor News, picked up the ball with her article, "Super Bowl recipes and menu ideas", with her recipe for Chicken or Vegetable Minestrone sounding particularly good. She followed this up with another column, "Super Bowl: Keep it simple". Susan has a very strong and humorous point to make in this particular writing:

I always get a chuckle from the press releases that start coming in immediately after the holidays suggesting "Super" Super Bowl menus featuring stuff such as "Crispy Lamb Spare Ribs With Honey Creme Fraiche and Chopped Pea Salad" and "Shrimp Cocktail in Fillo Tarts." Not to suggest that these recipes are not worth eating, but they and their ilk sort of miss the point about this party: It's about FOOTBALL not gourmet food.

Our friends at Koegel Meats in Flint, Michigan have sent along their own suggestions for Super Bowl Sunday. Of interest here is that, if you've been asked to bring something to a Super Bowl gathering, Koegel products travel quite well. And if you're the host, Koegel Meats are easy to deal with while delivering immense flavor to any dish.

More info, and my recipe for Michigan Corndogs using Koegel Viennas, after the jump ...

Having been raised in Grand Blanc just south of Flint I grew up on Koegel products. At the YMCA camp I worked at in Irons, Michigan during the summer of 1979 it was always a treat whenever the Koegel's trucked pulled up to the kitchen door and we could snag what we'd ordered for the week. And when I lived in Maryland I could always count on mom and dad bringing a 10 lb box of Viennas and a case of Vernor's whenevr they'd visit.

For this weekend's Super Bowl, here are Koegel's own suggestions for your Super Bowl get-together:

Viennas - There's a great reason Koegel Viennas are the company's most well-known product. With a delicious taste and endless versatility, preparing party food is a snap. Make a simple appetizer like "Pigskins in a Blanket" for the big game with Koegel Viennas.

Polish Sausage - What's a party without Polish Sausage? Provide favorites like sauerkraut or cut up and covered with barbeque sauce and it's certain that the crowd at your house will go wild.

Summer Sausage - For a bite with a taste of summer, try Koegel's Summer Sausage. Serve a party classic like sausage and peppers or impress guests with a new take on an old favorite like sausage pizza bites. Koegel's Summer Sausage is sure to please.

Bratwurst - Nothing says "sports" like a great Bratwurst. Simply prepare, supply an assortment of condiments and watch them go. Fast.

Corndogs would also be fairly simple for a Super Bowl party. I've come up with a distinctly Michigan corndog using Michigan ingredients: Koegel Viennas coated with Jiffy (Chelsea, Michigan) corn muffin mix that's made a bit differently, having extra milk and some Ground Mustard from GFS Marketplace (out of Grand Rapids). They're a little more involved than popping a frozen corndog into the nuclear cooking unit, but they're not as involved as some items. Besides, if you have a deep fryer ready-to-go and you actually grill the Viennas prior to creating the corndog, the resulting flavor is unforgettable and guests can make them whenever they'd like.

(Yes, I'm suggesting you cook the Viennas prior to wiping the oils off them, then cntinuing with the recipe below. I've found a lot of folks who like hot dogs but don't like corndogs. I have a suspicion it's because the hot dog inside a corndog really never gets cooked properly. Try this sometime ... it's an amazing difference.)

In the glass casserole, combine the corn muffin mix and the ground mustard. In the medium mixing bowl, mix the milk and egg. Dump the liquid into the dry mixture and whisk it until it's a slightly lumpy batter. Let the batter rest at least two hours, then stir it gently before using.

Photo by Dave LiskeMichigan Corndogs being cooked in an electric deep fryer suitable for home use.

Fill the deep fryer to its fill line with the frying oil or, if using a deep skillet, fill to a depth of about 1-1/2″. Set the oil for a temperature of 375 degrees F. Once the oil is up to temperature, line the plate with some paper towel and set it aside. Use some paper towel to wipe any juices off up to three of the Viennas. If your skewers have sharp, pointed ends, use a good pair of scissors or some other cutting tool to cut these points off! Slowly work a wooden skewer into each Vienna, straightening the meat as you go while making sure the skewer doesn't come out the far end. (If it does, just pull it back a bit.) Using a spiraling motion, dip each Vienna into the batter, removing it the same way, making sure the meat is covered completely from end-to-end.

Photo by Dave LiskeMichigan Corndogs cooking for Luna Pier's City-Wide Yard Sale the Saturday prior to last year's July 4th holiday. This is a King Kooker 18" rectangular outdoor propane cooker from Cabela's in Dundee, Michigan.

Using the same spiraling motion (and keeping your fingers out of the hot oil!), roll the skewered and battered Vienna into the oil, dropping the skewer last, followed by the second and third Viennas when you have them ready. Use the tongs to gently and continuously keep the corndogs moving and rotating in the oil so they cook evenly. Cooking should only take a minute or two. When the corndogs are a golden brown, remove them to the paper towel-lined plate for draining. They can be served as soon as the skewer is cool enough to touch.